Behind NATO Secretary General Rutte's Visit to the U.S.: Trump's Threat to Withdraw from NATO Forces Allies to Take Sides

Mark Rutte, Secretary General of NATO, viewed as a close friend of U.S. President Trump, is set to visit Washington next week. According to a NATO spokesperson speaking to Reuters, this is a "long-planned visit." Previously, President Trump has intensified his threats to withdraw from NATO, following the alliance's refusal to join the ongoing Iran conflict.

Commentary: Secretary General Rutte’s visit to the U.S., under the guise of being “Trump’s close friend,” appears routine but in reality serves as an urgent crisis intervention during the most tense period in the U.S.-Europe alliance. By threatening to exit NATO, Trump is pressuring the alliance to take sides on the Iran issue—essentially treating NATO as a tool to serve American interests. This visit further exposes NATO’s current predicament: formally a collective security alliance, it is increasingly being hijacked by U.S. unilateral will, and the trust foundation underlying transatlantic relations is steadily eroding.

Original source: toutiao.com/article/1861316902257675/

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